Broke car window installing bike rack

daymobrew

My wife got her third puncture in a row cycling home from work so I was called to pick her up again (she'll be learning how to change a tube now).

I have a Halfords bike rack that has served me well for a number of years. It's easy enough to put on, though securing the bike can be a little annoying.

I was rushing to install the rack and ended up smashing the back window of my car :eek: The problem is that I didn't check that the straps that go into the boot were completely inside the boot before closing the boot. There was a loud crack and I saw that the entire window was no longer smooth and clear.

My wife put a blanket behind my son's car seat while we drove the 2miles home. Every little bump dislodged another section of the window.

When I got home I removed the rest of the glass and got the vacuum cleaner out.
All Glass came out the next morning and installed a new pane and did an excellent job cleaning up the rest of the glass pieces.

So, lesson learned - make sure the straps are inside the boot before you slam the boot.

Lumen

2 miles? Surely that's walking distance.

sy

Lumen wrote: »

2 miles? Surely that's walking distance.

Obvious who the boss is in your house!

Lumen

sy wrote: »

Obvious who the boss is in your house!

Indeed, I just act out fantasies of independence on the internet.

Seriously, after three punctures I'd be fitting some tougher tyres.

Beasty

daymobrew wrote: »

My wife got her third puncture in a row cycling home from work

Don't row with the wife. It's not worth it, and you will still end up repairing her punctures

Jawgap

Lumen wrote: »

2 miles? Surely that's walking distance.

I reckon it is now!!!!:)

Hard luck with that.

daymobrew

Lumen wrote: »

2 miles? Surely that's walking distance.

True.

Lumen wrote: »

Seriously, after three punctures I'd be fitting some tougher tyres.

She has a 2009 Specialized Vita with Specialized All Conditions tyres. Each puncture has been a small piece of glass.

IIRC my 2007 Specialized Sirrus has All Conditions Armadillos.
For 2009 Specialized really downgraded the components on the Sirrus and Vita - without changing the prices. I have Tiagra drivetrain and now it's Deore. :rolleyes:

sy wrote: »

Obvious who the boss is in your house!

I'm the stay-at-home dad who was watching "The Italian Job" while my son napped. :P

poochiem

saw the thread and thought "oh here we go with more violence on drivers, I better say something or my silence will be taken as tacit approval by TA"... turns out its just some old fashioned misogyny

Lumen

daymobrew wrote: »

I'm the stay-at-home dad who was watching "The Italian Job" while my son napped. :P

"You wouldn't hit a man with no trousers on, would you?"

I love that film. :pac:

kona

daymobrew wrote: »

I'm the stay-at-home dad who was watching "The Italian Job" while my son napped. :P

YOU WERE ONLY SUPPOSED TO BLOW THE BLOODY DOORS OFF!!!!


:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p

Jawgap

Want to know how they got off the bus?

Greenman

Lumen wrote: »

Seriously, after three punctures I'd be fitting some tougher tyres.

Consider Schwalbe tyres as per http://www.schwalbe.co.uk/c1-1067-tour.html in 10 years 1 slow puncture and I cycle everyday.

3 punctures in a row sounds alot.

daymobrew

Greenman wrote: »

3 punctures in a row sounds alot.

It is a lot. She uses a shared off-road cycle/ped path for the entire journey (just over 5k). It has lots of glass.
Two of the punctures were similar locations on the route.

blorg

daymobrew wrote: »

I have Tiagra drivetrain and now it's Deore. :rolleyes:

Deore is not a downgrade on Tiagra, it is the direct equivalent of Tiagra on the MTB side of things (Tiagra and Deore share some part designations such as HG53 chains and HG50 cassette.) Indeed many would see Deore as the start of reasonable components on the MTB side in much the same way 105 is regarded on the road side...

tomasrojo

daymobrew wrote: »

It is a lot. She uses a shared off-road cycle/ped path for the entire journey (just over 5k). It has lots of glass.
Two of the punctures were similar locations on the route.

Sorry to hear about breaking the window. That's very unfortunate.

I think I say this to nearly every tale of woe using off-road facilities, but could she work out a route that sticks to the road? Otherwise she may well go on getting punctures using off-road facilities, unless she switches to Armadillos and checks for glass every few days. If she's nervous about using the road, maybe you could cycle it with her for reassurance?

daymobrew

blorg wrote: »

Deore is not a downgrade on Tiagra, it is the direct equivalent of Tiagra on the MTB side of things

Ah, thanks for the correction. Nerd

tomasrojo wrote: »

I think I say this to nearly every tale of woe using off-road facilities, but could she work out a route that sticks to the road? Otherwise she may well go on getting punctures using off-road facilities, unless she switches to Armadillos and checks for glass every few days. If she's nervous about using the road, maybe you could cycle it with her for reassurance?

Confidence would be an issue and she simply does not want to use the road. There are off-road facilities the entire 5km route and she'd prefer to use them. I just have to get her to either report glass to FCC (who have been very good at cleaning up when I've reported glass) or to me (and I'll ring FCC).

mmclo

There's a tiger woods joke there somewhere!